How will Windows 11 affect Linux distributions?

The screenshot at the top of this post is from my own computer. It was made shortly after Microsoft announced the upcoming release of Windows 11.  Using a tool Microsoft called Windows PC Health Check I instantly received the message that my PC from 2012 will not be able to run the new version, accompanied by a despicable laugh. (The laugh was my imagination)

One of lime and one of sand. I was right when I said here y here that the idea that a Windows based on the Linux kernel was sheer nonsense. But, I was wrong when I believed Microsoft's claims that there was going to be no Windows 11, even though that makes my 11 advantages of using Linux are more current than ever.

How will Windows 11 affect Linux distributions?

When Windows Vista appeared in 2007, Linux distributions weren't mature enough to take advantage of user anger. for the problems they were experiencing. Also Microsoft offered a solid alternative in the already established Windows XP. Today, however the situation is different.

Let's see:

• In 2007 all the interactivity of the web was based on Flash. In 2021 it is based on open technologies such as HTML5, CSS and Javascript
• When Vista came out, most websites were optimized for Internet Explorer. Today most of the websites are optimized for Google Chrome. Except for Safari, all major Chrome-based browsers have a Linux version.
• 14 years ago, the number of professional-quality games for Linux was practically non-existent. In 2021 this number continues to grow, to which we must add technologies such as Proton that allows you to run titles for Windows. And, the industry trend is for cloud gaming platforms which makes the operating system irrelevant.
• Hardware support in Linux when Windows Vista came out was uneven. Some peripherals like HP printers or Mustek scanners developed drivers. In other cases you had to compile them or keep Windows on a partition for when you wanted to print something or use the webcam. Today it is almost impossible to find a computer that does not work with Linux. And, both Intel and AMD video cards have good native drivers.

Why switch to Linux?

Windows 10 has at least four more years of support andUnless the current chip shortage crisis worsens, users who do not have compatible computers will switch equipment in that period.

The hardware requirements are:

• 64-bit processor with two or more cores.
• 4 GB of memory minimum.
• 64 GB of disk space.
• Hardware with UEFI support and Secure Boot support.
• Have a TPM chip in your computer. A TPM chip is a secure crypto processor that helps you with actions, such as generating and storing cryptographic keys, as well as limiting their use.
• Graphics card with support for DirectX 12 or later, and the WDDM 2.0 driver.
• Screen of at least 9 inches in diagonal, with 720p high definition, and 8 bits per color channel.

Suddenly, all 32-bit computers are left out.  And, I do not know how many of those sold from 2016 will have the happy TPM chip.

Cost in this case is not a factor. You will be able to update for free from Windows 10 or download it as part of the Insider program. But, unless you're interested in gamer features, there are only two cool things that can be implemented on Linux without a hitch.

The first is the integration of the Microsoft store with the Amazon Android application store. In other words, you will be able to use Android applications on Windows. It shouldn't be too difficult to do the same with Linux and F-Droid distributions.

The second (Which is a hit below the waist from Apple and Google) is that developers who publish their applications in the Microsoft store will be able to choose a payment platform. Actually, the Snap store allows including a payment option in which Canonical does not intervene, but it would not be a bad idea to have an App Store universal with free and paid applications in which one could also give a percentage to open source projects .